ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful 2027 general election, assuring Nigerians that the outcome of the polls will reflect the sovereign will of the electorate
The assurance was given by the Acting Chairman of INEC, Prof Rhoda Gumus, on Tuesday while receiving the African Union (AU) Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission on behalf of the Commission at its headquarters in Abuja.
The AU delegation, led by former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, is in Nigeria to assess the country’s overall electoral preparedness and identify areas requiring further support and intervention
Welcoming the delegation, Gumus described the mission as an important opportunity for peer assessment, institutional learning and strengthening of Nigeria’s electoral processes at a critical period in the country’s democratic journey
She said INEC valued its partnership with the AU in advancing democratic standards and credible electoral governance across the continent
According to her, the mission should not be viewed as a formality but as an important mechanism for strengthening institutional resilience and reinforcing public confidence in the electoral process
Gumus highlighted the scale of preparations already underway for the 2027 general election, saying INEC was undertaking extensive operational, technological and logistical preparations to ensure effective participation by all eligible Nigerians
She added that lessons from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun states continued to provide valuable learning opportunities for the Commission
The Acting Chairman also outlined areas where technical and institutional support from the AU would be valuable
They include digital training for ad hoc election personnel, countering election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, as well as deepening inclusivity and gender-mainstreaming frameworks
She emphasised that electoral integrity remained a collective responsibility involving electoral institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media, development partners and the electorate
Gumus also reaffirmed the independence and neutrality of the Commission, saying it remained committed to conducting the 2027 election professionally
She assured that under the current Commission led by Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, every administrative decision would strictly follow the law, while technical deployments would be designed to promote transparency.
She said the final outcome of the 2027 general election would reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate
Speaking on the purpose of the visit, Mekonnen said the AU mission was designed as a supportive and consultative engagement aimed at assessing activities already underway, identifying gaps and risks, and exploring possible areas of technical assistance
He said the mission would engage INEC and other key stakeholders to assess preparedness in voter registration and register integrity, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and results management
Mekonnen underscored the continued partnership between Nigeria and the African Union in promoting democratic governance and credible elections across the continent